{"id":55,"date":"2018-07-24T22:00:45","date_gmt":"2018-07-25T02:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/virtuallearn.wpengine.com\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/?page_id=55"},"modified":"2025-10-10T07:27:51","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T11:27:51","slug":"awards","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/awards\/","title":{"rendered":"Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Joint Committee on Engineering and Fisheries Science is currently responsible for awarding the annual Fish Passage Distinguished Project Award, presented at each Fish Passage Conference, and has designated a <a href=\"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/committees-and-task-groups\/project-award\/\">Project Award Committee<\/a> to assess nominated projects and to select an award winner.<\/p>\n<p>An ideal project for the award exemplifies success in restoring passage and inspires greater application of fish passage restoration. Priority will be given to projects that have demonstrated effectiveness and fulfillment of restoration goals, as illuminated by a well-designed monitoring plan and system. Projects that have been shared widely in professional papers or conference presentations are encouraged. Self-nomination is also encouraged. To make a nomination, please complete the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fishpassage.fisheries.org\/awards\/\" target=\"_blank\">nomination form<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The deadline for both upcoming awards is January 16, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Each nominated project is evaluated with the following criteria:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Monitoring and evaluation &#8211; Monitoring report \/ findings and data are required for submittal. Telemetry, fish trapping, physical observations counts, or other monitoring techniques should be used as the basis of the findings. The monitoring report should describe methods and analysis of both pre- and post-construction.<\/li>\n<li>Ecological gain for passage and habitat for endangered and native species<\/li>\n<li>Innovation and technical excellence<\/li>\n<li>Stakeholder collaboration and community based support<\/li>\n<li>Education and public involvement<\/li>\n<li>Effective application of resources (financial and matching)<\/li>\n<li>Implementation according to design intent and adaptive to field conditions<\/li>\n<li>Inspirational value<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Projects that are not yet operational or haven&#8217;t been monitored for biological success, are generally not eligible. Research, fish passage concepts, and monitoring projects are also typically ineligible.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2025 Project Award Winners:<\/strong><br \/>\nThe 2025 Project Award was given to a project on the Danube River in Austria where VERBUND Hydro Power, GmbH created a 14.2 km nature-like river bypass around the <a href=\"https:\/\/power.verbund.com\/en\/Ottensheim-Wilhering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ottensheim-Wilhering Hydroelectric Project<\/a>. The bypass not only created passage to the river upstream of the dam, but also reconnected the spawning and rearing habitat in two tributaries that had previously been functionally disconnected from the main river. The award was presented to Walter Reckendorfer (VERBUND Hydro Power, GmbH).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_697\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 570px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/07\/award-VERBUND-stage-1024x682.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-697 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/07\/award-VERBUND-stage-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"570\" height=\"429\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Walter Reckendorfer (VERBUND Hydro Power, GmbH) accepting the 2025 Fish Passage Distinguished Project Award from Luiz Silva at the International Fish Passage Conference in Yichang, Hubai, China. Imagery provided by Peter Christensen.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_697\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 570px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/07\/award-VERBUND-project-pictures.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-697 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/07\/award-VERBUND-project-pictures.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"570\" height=\"429\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Images of the nature-like river bypass at the Ottensheim-Wilhering Hydroelectric Project on the Danube River in Ottensheim, Austria. Imagery provided by Peter Christensen.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>Past Project Award Winners<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>2025 \u2013 <strong>LIFE+ Netzwerk Donau<\/strong>, a 14.2 km nature-like bypass river around the Ottensheim-Wilhering Hydroelectric Project on the Danube River in Austria. The award was presented to Walter Reckendorfer (VERBUND Hydro Power, GmbH).<\/li>\n<li>2024 \u2013\u00a0<strong>China Lake Alewife Restoration Initiative<\/strong>, presented to Landis Hudson (Maine Rivers, Executive Director); Matt Streeter (Maine Rivers, Project Manager); Nate Gray (Maine State Department of Marine Resources, Scientist)<\/li>\n<li>2022 \u2013\u00a0<strong>Restoring the Continuity of Two Rivers in Southern Poland<\/strong>, presented to Mr. PRZEMYS\u0141AW DACA (President of the State Water Holding Polish Waters);\u00a0Mrs. MA\u0141GORZATA SIKORA (Director of the Regional Water Management Board in Krakow \u2013 State Water Holding Polish Waters); and Mr. TOMASZ TOMALA (Head of the Political Cabinet of the Minister of Infrastructure for their project)<\/li>\n<li>2020 \u2013\u00a0<strong>LIFEDrawaPL \u2013 Active Protection of Water-Crowfoots Habitats and Restoration of Wildlife Corridor in the River Drawa Basin in Poland<\/strong>, presented to: Aleksandra Stodulna (RDEP \u2013 Regional Director of Environment Protection in Szczecin); Beata G\u0105siorowska; Ma\u0142gorzata \u0106wikli\u0144ska; Aneta Radecka; Mariola Wr\u00f3bel (PhD, West Pomeranian University of Technology); Artur Furdyna (external water ecology consultant); Mariusz Raczy\u0144ski (PhD RDEP Szczecin); Wojciech W\u00f3jcik (external IT service); Pawe\u0142 Bilski (Steering Committee \u2013 PhD, Director of Drawie\u0144ski National Park); Piotr D\u0119bowski (Steering Committee \u2013 PhD prof. Institute of Inland Fisheries- migratory fish expert); Robert Czerniawski (PhD Steering Committee \u2013 prof. Szczecin University); J\u00f3zef Jele\u0144ski (Steering Committee- Eng. expert of riverbed morphology restoration)<\/li>\n<li>2018 \u2013\u00a0<strong>Fish Passage Research and Development at Low-head Barriers in South-east Asia<\/strong>, presented to: Dr. Lee Baumgartner (Charles Sturt University); Dr. Craig Boys (Port Stephens Fisheries Institute); Prof. Chris Barlow (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research); Dr. Joanne Miller (Charles Sturt University); Khampheng Homsombath (Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre); Douangkham Singhanouvong (Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre); Dr. Wayne Robinson (Charles Sturt University); Garry Thorncraft (National University of Laos); Dr. Oudom Phonekhampheng (National University of Laos); Thonglom Phommavong (National University of Laos); Phousone Vorsane (National University of Laos); Tim Marsden (Australasian Fish Passage Services); Dr. Nathan Ning (Charles Sturt University); Dr. Ivor Stuart (Kingfisher Research); Jarrod McPherson (Charles Sturt University); Brett Kelly (AWMA Solutions); Dr. Brett Pflugrath (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory); Thavone Phommavong (Pak Peung Village)<\/li>\n<li>2017 \u2013\u00a0<strong>Soda Springs Dam Fish Passage, North Umpqua River, Oregon USA<\/strong>, presented to: Rich Grost, Scott Schevenius, Eric Hansen, Tim Hemstreet, Mark Sturtevant, Steve Albertelli, Monte Garrett, and the North Umpqua Hydropower Project Crew (PacificCorp); Clint Smith (MWH Americas); Dirk Pedersen (Stillwater Sciences); George Gilmour (Meridian Environmental); Resource Coordination Committee (BLM, ODEQ, ODFW, OWRD, NMFS, USFS, USFWS)<\/li>\n<li>2016 \u2014\u00a0<strong>Habitat Restoration for Diadromous Fish in the River Mondego<\/strong>, presented to:\u00a0Pedro Raposo de Almeida (Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Technology, University of \u00c9vora, Portugal); Isabel Domingos (Foundation of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisboa, Portugal); Lu\u00eds Sim\u00e3o (Mora Freshwater Aquarium, Parque Ecol\u00f3gico do Gameiro, Mora, Portugal); Maria Felisbina Quadrado (Portuguese Environmental Agency, Amadora, Portugal); Gon\u00e7alo Carrasqueira (Forest and Nature Conservation Institute, Lisboa, Portugal); Yorgos Stratoudakis (Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA), Lisboa, Portugal); Nuno Portal (EDP, Gest\u00e3o da Produ\u00e7\u00e3o de Energia, S.A., Porto, Portugal); Cristina Rosa (Diretorate General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM), Lisboa, Portugal); Fernando Lopes (Sea Lamprey Brotherhood, Penacova, Portugal); Fernanda Veiga (City Council of Penacova, Penacova, Portugal); M\u00e1rio Magalh\u00e3es Maia, City Council of Vila Nova de Poiares, Vila Nova de Poiares, Portugal); Jo\u00e3o Pardal (City Council of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal)<\/li>\n<li>2015\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<strong>Salto de San Fernando: Problems and Solutions<\/strong>, presented to: GEA-ecohydraulics (ETSIIAA Palencia), SSF S.L. (Town Hall and private associates), Duero Basin Authority (CHD-Water Public Domain Control Service), State Fisheries Section (Salamanca), Fishermen Associations (Pe\u00f1a de la Cruz de B\u00e9jar)<\/li>\n<li>2014 \u2014\u00a0<strong>Acushnet River Fish Passage Restoration<\/strong>, presented to: NOAA Restoration Center, EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc., US Fish and Wildlife Service, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Buzzards Bay Coalition, US Geological Survey, The New Bedford Harbor Trustee Council, and the Town of Acushnet.<\/li>\n<li>2013 \u2014\u00a0<strong>Development and Application of the Uniform Acceleration Bypass Weir for Downstream Passage at Dams and Water Intakes<\/strong>, presented to: Alex Haro, Theodore Castro-Santos, and John Noreika (Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, U. S. Geological Survey); George Hecker and Steve Amaral (Alden Research Laboratory); Robert Stira (Firstlight Power Resources); and Lynn Reese (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more information on the Distinguished Project Award, please contact Peter Christensen, the chair of the EWRI-AFS Joint Committee on Fisheries Engineering and Science Project Award Task Committee, at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:Peter.Christensen@KleinschmidtGroup.com?subject=Distinguished%20Project%20Award%20Question\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Peter.Christensen@KleinschmidtGroup.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Joint Committee on Engineering and Fisheries Science is currently responsible for awarding the annual Fish Passage Distinguished Project Award, presented at each Fish Passage Conference, and has designated a Project Award Committee to assess nominated projects and to select an award winner. An ideal project for the award exemplifies success in restoring passage and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full-width.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-55","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","odd","first-child","last-child"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1096,"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/55\/revisions\/1096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldunitsstaging.fisheries.org\/fishpassagejointcommittee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}